Avalanche at Nepal's Himlung Himal kills 15 workers, one missing

A devastating avalanche at the base camp of Himlung Himal has claimed the lives of at least 15 Nepali workers, marking the deadliest incident of the autumn climbing season in Nepal. The workers were engaged in preparation activities ahead of the arrival of an all-women climbing expedition when the disaster struck.

Rescue teams have recovered 15 bodies from the site, though search and recovery efforts have been severely hampered by deteriorating weather conditions in the high-altitude region. One worker remains missing, and rescue operations are continuing despite the challenging circumstances.

Himlung Himal, a peak in the Mansiri Himal range standing at 7,246 metres, attracts climbers during the autumn season when weather conditions are relatively favourable. The base camp serves as a staging point for mountaineering expeditions on the mountain.

The avalanche underscores the inherent dangers faced by support staff and workers at high-altitude climbing camps in the Himalayas. Nepal's mountaineering industry has seen several fatal incidents in recent years, though incidents of this scale remain relatively uncommon. Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances that led to the avalanche or measures to prevent similar incidents.